WE KNOW IT'S COLD OUT, BUT IT'S ALMOST SPRING!
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Our farmers markets are starting soon! The Rt 3 / Gordon road market in Spotsylvania is due to open on Saturday, April 11th, and runs Saturdays 8am-1pm through mid-October. The North Stafford Market opens on Sunday, April 26th, and runs on Sundays 8am-1pm through mid October. Looking forward to seeing everyone again!
In the meantime, we've moved! We are rebuilding our little plant and making every effort to be in our spot when the markets open. Starting anew is always a challenging process, so please say a little prayer for us next time you have a scoop of ice cream and before long, that scoop will once again be from us! |
Upcoming EventsFarmer's Markets are opening in April. We hope to see you as they open and will keep you updated on our actual start dates!
Our first video... created, directed, performed, and produced by Bean Productions of Columbia SC.
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Our Mission Put a smile on your face by making the best ice cream in Northern Virginia! As Mom puts it... "so good you'll have to go to church after eating it!"
Our Story.... The story of Abner Butterfield goes back nearly 40 years to monthly pilgrimages to Grandma's. She and Grandad lived some distance away so our family couldn't go all the time. It was a bit of a trip and as it happened, about halfway there was a small soft serve ice cream shop. For some reason riding in the back seat put my brother and I to sleep but we would always wake up just in time to stop off for ice cream...and it didn't matter that it was 10am either. That's how it started...
A few years ago, we began experimenting with "dip-style" ice cream to satisfy my own developing sweet tooth for creative home-style ice creams, one that even the premium ones, just couldn't satisfy. While we started with more traditional flavors...blueberry, peach, strawberry, banana walnut, and cookies and cream... my horizons quickly expanded to trying new flavors and combinations of flavors. Never having a shortage of taste testers has also meant a steady supply of well-wishing (and hoping) that we'd have a regular going concern at some point to help satisfy their sweet toothes as well. In 2011, we built a small plant in Stafford, Virginia, to produce ice cream for local wholesalers and retailers and to support our own retail operations at area farmers' markets, local school and club events, and corporate events. In 2012, the "king bee" made a trip to Penn State to attend their Ice Cream Short Course, the course that covers everything from cow to cone, and graduated 2d in the class. Returning home, we built the "Purple Cow"--a 27' ice cream shop on wheels that we now take to events... over 50 during the 2012 season! 2013 proved to be a fantastic year for us! We did 80+ events at three farmer's markets, plus corporate events, and a handful of private events including our first wedding event! The "king bee" went back to Penn State to audit their Ice Cream 101 course. In 2014, the king bee started out with another return trip to Penn State-this time as a presenter for the Ice Cream Short Course. Really kicked off the year right. Back home, we created some great new flavors including Chocolate Stripe Peanut Butter Chip, Lemon Cookies and Cream, Banana Pudding, and Banana Chocolate Chip Granola Crunch. Did 49 different flavors in total for the year. We also went 'green' by converting the truck refrigeration system to solar power. We're looking forward to a great 2015 and hope you will share the love with us and enjoy our creations... and perhaps even help us create one or two....
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The Purple Cow
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Miss Abigail, our 5000th customer in 2012!
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